Manhole and well for subways.



M. GLARKSON.

MANHOLE AND WELL FOR SUBWAYS.

APPLIUATION FILED FEB. 5, 1910.

1,023,815, Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

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MANHOLE AND WELL FOE SUBWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5, 1910.

1,023,81 5. Patented'Apr. 23, 1912..

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MICHAEL CLARKSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MANHOLE AND WELL FOR SUBWAYS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Application filed February 5, 1910. Serial No. 542,303.

7 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL OLARKsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Manholes and Wells for Subways, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to manholes and wells for subterranean passages such as tunnels, catch-basins cisterns and the like. Its object is to provide a top-stone cover of cement without the use of metallic or other reinforcing means, and which may be readily made by ordinary mechanics, at the 10- cality where the work is being done, and when set, they will be in proper position, thus avoiding the necessity'of casting the heavy top-stone at a central station or distributing the same at a distance from the work.

A further object of my invention is to so construct and arrange the various parts that the top-stone may be reversed or inverted and underpinned when the road bed or sidewalk is repaired, or in case the grade of the street is changed, thus avoiding the necessity of reconstructing the entire well or catch-basin. This I accomplish by the means and in the manner hereinafter clescribed and as more particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a well, catch-basin, or cistern showing my improved cover in the course of construction on the upper edge of the wall of the same. Fig. 2 is a similar section showing all the parts finished and in place, and the frame work and unnecessary parts removed. Fig. 3 is a fragmental sectional view of the upper portion of a well or catch basin showing the top-stone reversed after having become worn on one side. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the top-stone and cover. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of one of the vent openings in the cover. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a slightly modified construction. I

In the construction of the framework or scaffold shown in the first figure of the drawings, I prefer'to employ substantially the same means as that illustrated and described in an application for Letters Patent filed by me April 24th, 1909, Serial No. 492,047 (C3ll).

eferring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, it will be observed that the well or cistern preferably comprises a vertical wall A of any suitable shape the upper edge of which terminates at a distance below the horizontal plane of the grade of the street or sidewalk, which distance correspond-s to substantially the thickness or dept-h of the top-stone. At this height the upper edge of the wall is leveled and a gasket a preferably comprising a layer of tar-paper or the like is placed thereon. The scafiold, which is then erected within this well, comprises a suitable horizontal platform 2 that is made in several sections the upper surface of which is in approximately the same plane as the top of the well-wall. The platform is supported bycrossbeams 3, 3, arranged horizontally so as to retain the platform sections in position, and said beams are in turn supported by uprights 4L, 4, the lower ends of which latter rest upon a horizontally disposed plank 5, having its ends mounted on suitable lifting-jacks 6, 6, at the bottom of the well.

lVhen the platform 2 is in position a sectional sheet-metal former 7 of the shape of the manhole opening is placed in the desired position upon the same. This former is preferably frusto-conical in shape, divided vertically, and the sections are provided with knuckles that interlock with and are connected to those of the adjoining sections by removable cotter-pins. The upper edge of the former is preferably provided with a series of internal lateral flanges 8 on which a suitable horizontal plate 9 is placed that is adapted to support an inverted frustoconical templet 10. The exterior surface of this templet corresponds to the shape of the manhole opening to be fitted in the topstone after the work has dried. In order to mold suitable vent openings in the closure for the manhole, suitable pins 11 are inclined against the inner surface of the wall of the templet, substantially as shown. A former 12, preferably of the height of the top-stone and cover and of the same superficial area as the outside dimensions of the cistern walls, is placed around the templets, just described. The concrete is then poured between the templets 7 and 10 and the outer former 12 and also within the templet 10. \Vhen this cement has become sufficiently hardened the former is removed and the upper templet 10 raised from its seat. The horizontal plate 9 is then re moved and by withdrawing one or more of the cotter pins the lower templet is col lapsed. The scaffolding may be then taken down and removed from the well.

The manhole cover constructed in the manner above described preferably comprises a top-stone B that is of any suitable shape, either rectangular, circular, or the like and has a central opening 6 the sidewalls of which taper toward an apex about midway the upper and lower surfaces of said top-stone. The cover G is preferably of oval or circular shape and at equidistant points around its periphery is provided with recesses c that form vent openings from the well. In two or more of these vent openings a slight shoulder or offset a is made which is reinforced by a substantially U-shaped wire 0 as shown in detail in Fig. 5.

It will be seen from the drawing that in carrying out my invention the top-stone is adapted to be reversed. That is when the road-bed or sidewalk has become worn and together with the top-stone and cover has assumed the proportions shown by the dotted line X Fig. 2, the repairing of the sidewalk or street does not necessitate the making of new topstone. The topstone is simply raised from its seat away from the gasket (4 and reversed so that the worn surface will be placed lowermost or adjacent the upper edge of the well-wall, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The space between this worn surface and the upper edge of the well-wall is then filled with sufficient plastic concrete or the like to bring the then upper face of the top-stone up to the plane of the street or side-walk grade and when this has set the parts will have become united together in a firm manner.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings the top-stone is shown of a slightly modified construction, wherein the side-walls of the opening (Z do not come together but have a vertical parallel portion d, owing to the increased thickness of the wall D. This cover E is substantially the same as in the preferred construction and the manner of reversing the top-stone and underpinning the same is identical with the preferred form.

lVhat I claim as new is 1. The combination with a well for sub ways, the upper edge of which terminates below the surface, of a reversible top-stone, having an opening therein the sides of which are beveled at the top and bottom and converge toward each other, and a cover fitting said opening and formed of concrete.

2. The combination with a well for subways, the upper edge of which terminates below the street datum, of a reversible topstone having an opening therein which opening between the upper and lower surfaces of the top-stone is reduced in width from each surface toward the center of thickness of said stone, and a cover for said opening formed of cement.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of January 1910.

MICHAEL GLARKSON.

Witnesses:

M. E. MARTIN, E. K. LUNDY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

